DISH Network announced a 4K Ultra HD set-top box called the 4K Joey. It supports any HDMI 2.0/HDCP 2.2-compliant television, playback at 60fps in 10-bit color, is compatible with all Hopper Whole Home HD DVR systems, and provides full Joey functionality. The new set-top box is equipped with a Broadcom dual-core chipset and Broadcom 7448 dual-core ARM processor. It features PiP, Bluetooth and supports Hopper apps such as Vevo, Netflix and Game Finder.
Unlike other 4K pay-TV options which are confined to an app on select TVs, the DISH 4K Joey is dedicated hardware that will be compatible with all HDMI 2.0/ HDCP 2.2-compliant televisions. The 4K Joey will not only play back 4K ultra HD content, it will also enhance everyday viewing of television and sports programming by supporting side-by-side display of two programs, each in HD. This picture-in-picture (PiP) capability was not possible previously and is ideal for sports fans who want to watch two games playing at the same time.
“Our new 4K Joey offers the most versatile, future-proofed 4K setup for our customers,” said Vivek Khemka, senior vice president of Product Management. “It’s easy to install and works with the most 4K televisions, so no matter what brand customers bought over the holiday season, they can enjoy content through DISH.”
The newest member of DISH’s Joey troop can network to a Hopper set-top box via coax or Ethernet connections. The unit also features Toslink and RCA analog audio outputs to accommodate a wide variety of home audio configurations.
Price and Availability
Price TBD. Availability expected second quarter 2015.
